Multipole-electric-switch casing



Sept. 27, 1927.

G. A. BURNHAM.

MULTIPOLE ELECTRIC SWITCH CASING Filed Aug. 1.6, 1921 vPatented `Sept. 27,l 19`27.

' UNITED STATES PATE-NT OFFICE.

VG'EIOIR'GCE! BURNHAM, 0F ,SAUGUSQ MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 CONDIT ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, 0F BOSTON, MAS- SACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

MULTIPOLE- ELECTBIC-SWITCH CASING.

Application led August 16, 15121. Serial No. 4942.809.

This invention relates to oil immersed electric switches.

It is desirable to provide certain types of switches with a relatively large body of oil and a relatively large gas eX ansion space above the oil in the switch an also preferably with a relatively restricted body of oil about the switch-members in `the vicinity of the circuit-interrupting arc, whereby to improve the circuit-interrupting properties of the switch.

An object of this invention is to provide a multipole switch withmeans to restrict the body of oil adjacent the circu1t-1nter- 'ruptingrc 'of each pole and means to contaln ae' dy of oil common to all poles, and an expansion space above the oil common to all poles of the switch. V

A further 'object is to rovide an oil -receptacle having a plura ity of restricted compartments each adapted to contam a pole;`

of t e switch all o en at the bottom for oil communication an all open at the top for `gas commnnicatiom.

' A further ob'ect is to provide`means contained within t e oil space in the receptacle and extended between and fixed to opposite sidewalls of the receptacle to tie in the opposite slide walls whereby to provide a structure adapted to resist elevated internal pressures.`

AA further object is generally to improve the construction and operation of an o1l immersed electric switch.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a multipole electric switch'embodying the invention.

` Fig. 2 is a top Yview looking down into thel oil receptacle.

F g. 3 is a-sectional elevation of an oil receptacle embodying the invention taken along line 3'-3 of F1g. 2.

As here shown the switch embodying the invention includesthe switch frame 10 car- Vrying lthe sets of.I switch-*members comprisf ing the stationary .switch-members 11, '12

and 13 and the correspondingmovable switch-members 115.12, and 13, each set of which constitutes a pole of the switch. Operating mechanism 14 is associated with said movable switch members.

An oil receptacle 15 dependsfrom said switch frame; and said frame constitutes acover for the receptacle. Said receptacle may be secured removably to the frame by the bolts 16 carried by the receptacle, and the tain a pole of the switch; and the oil receptacle may be divided into as many compartments as there are poles of the switch.

Each compartment comprises a cell 20 formed ofysuitably strong material as sheet steel. Each cell is of suitable. length and may have the lsubstantially parallel side walls 20a and the more or less cylindrical end walls 2Ob for increased strength. 'Said cells are placed side b side within the oil receptacle 15 ndpre erably have such dimansions, with relation to the receptacle, that the contiguous side walls 2050i the cells are in contact and .the side walls of the end cells are in contact with the front and rear walls of the oil receptacle. Preferably, also the end walls 20h are in contact with the side walls ofthe oil receptacle. Said cells' may be secured to eachother and the oil receptacle by suitable means as the rivets 21.

It will be observed that the construction herein illustrated results in an oil receptacle of increased strength, as contrasted with thel usual form of,non-cellular'receptacle, for the reason that the cells act to tie in the opposhort of the bottom of the oil receptacle 15 t whereby' to provide an oil space D below the cells which 1e in communication with all the cells.r Similarly the upper end of said'cells stop short of the top of the oil receptacle whereby to provide ay gas expansions ace E above the oil in said cells and un er ,theA

switch frame; and each cell is in communication with said expansion space. i Furthermore, each cell provides for a restricted oil space about theswitch-members at the point the lcircuit-'interruptiI/lg arc is drawn.; and

the restricted space may aid materially in -quenching the arc; and each pole of the switch has available the entire oil in the switch vand the entire gas expansion spaceV of the switch.

Multi-pole switches have been proposed wherein each pole has been enclosed in separate insulating compartments which are not in free oil inter-communication; and this invention differs from such switches by reason of the free oil communication between the compartments below the oil level therein, the gas expansion space above the oil common to all compartments, and the internal-' ly-reinforced structure of the'oil receptacle wherein the cells are tied together and to the walls of the oil receptacle and serve to supporty the walls against rupture from elevated i the receptacle and dividing the interior of the receptacle into a plurality of laterally independent and adJacent compartments each of which is adapted to surround a-set of switch-members, and said compartments bein freely Open to `the yinterior of the receptacle and to each other over'the tops and also under the .bottoms of said partition walls,` a switch frame comprising a cover for said receptacle; a plurality of sets of stationary and movable switch members carried by said frameand extended throu h the open tops of said compartments into t e interiors thereof and terminated short of the open bottoms thereof. A

2. An oil receptacle for a multi-pole electric switch having a plurality of verticallydis osed and laterally spaced solid partition 'wa ls terminated a substantial distance below the top and abovefthe bottom of the receptacle and `dividing the interior of the rece tacle into a'plnrality of laterally indepen ent and adjacent compartments each of which is adapted to surround a pole ofthe y switch', and said compartments being freely open to the; interior ofthe receptacle and tol each other overltthe tops and also under the bottoms 4of said partition walls.

3. A.'multipole electric switch having a; cellular oil receptacle each cell "being freely, open at the top :and bottom andl adapted to contain -a--pole of the switch, means to pro- ',videiaas expansion spacel o substantial height a ve and common'to' all cells andin l free communication therewith .throu h -the open tops thereof, andmeans to provi e an oil-containing space of substantial depth below andv common to all cells and in free communication therewith through the open bottoms thereof.

4. JA multi-pole electric switch having an vapproximately square oil receptacle, a plurality ofappr'oximately oval vcells contained in said receptacle and open to said receptacle at the tops and bottoms and a switch pole contained in each cell.

l 5. An oil receptacle for a multi-pole electric switch having a plurality of' verticallyarranged cells having circularly formed ends and each adapted to contain apole of the switch, said cells arranged with open tops and bottoms and spaced between the top and bottom of the oil receptacle and means fixedly uniting the walls of said cells with each other andthe walls of the oil receptacle; f 6., An oil receptacle for a multi-pole electric switch having tension-members extended through the oil space therein and secuvred to opposite wa-lls of the receptacle, said tension members also comprising-se arating partitions between the switch po es. 7 An oily receptacle for an electric Switch having its opposite side walls tied in internally below the oil level inthe horizontal` plane of the arc and at one side of the arc and conductor zones. y v

8. A multi-pole electric switch havin an oil receptacle adapted to contain the switchmembers having tie-members extended of the switch and fixed to opposite walls of the receptacle whereby to strengthen the reacross the oil space therein between the poles fixedly to each other and to'the side walls p ofthe receptacle..-V

l0. An oil receptacleu for an'. electric switchfhavingside walls and a plurality of cells'cylindrically-formedat their oppositev ends'` and open at the tap-and bottom received lin said receptacle"intermediate vthe top and bottomy thereof and in contact with each other and the sidewalls of the recep- GEORGE nf.' BURNHAM.

tacle, .and .means uniting the v.walls of said 

